449. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.- That this signifies the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord, is evident from the representation of Benjamin and of the tribe named after him, as denoting the Spiritual-celestial in the natural man, like Joseph in the spiritual. The Spiritual-celestial is truth conjoined to good. For truth, regarded in itself, is spiritual, and good celestial; hence Benjamin and his tribe signify the conjunction of truth and good in the Natural, here therefore the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord; for those who are in natural good and truth from the spiritual and the celestial are in the ultimate heaven. Those who are in the ultimate heaven are either spiritual-natural, or celestial-natural. The spiritual-natural in that heaven belong to the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and the celestial-natural belong to the celestial kingdom of the Lord; wherefore the spiritual-natural communicate with the second heaven, where all are spiritual, but the celestial-natural communicate with the third heaven, where all are celestial, as stated above.

[2] It is evident from these things what Joseph and Benjamin, who were brethren, signify in the Word. Since Benjamin signifies truth conjoined to good in the natural man, and consequently truth conjoined to good in those who are in the ultimate heaven, therefore he was also the last son born to Jacob, and was called by him the son of the right hand, for Benjamin, in the original language, signifies the son of the right hand; and also he was born in Bethlehem, which city signifies truth conjoined to good in the Natural. That he was born in Bethlehem, see Genesis (35:16-19). He was born last, because the Natural, consisting of truth conjoined to good, is the ultimate of the church in man. For there are in man three degrees of life, the inmost, the middle, and the ultimate. The inmost degree is that in which those are who dwell in the inmost or third heaven, the middle degree that in which those are who dwell in the middle or second heaven, and the ultimate degree that in which those are who dwell in the ultimate or first heaven. Therefore those who are in the inmost degree are called celestial, those in the middle are called spiritual, and those in the ultimate degree are called either spiritual-natural or celestial-natural. The conjunction of those in the ultimate heaven with the Lord is signified by Benjamin. Concerning these three degrees of life in a man and in an angel, see Heaven and Hell 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435). These are the reasons why Benjamin was the last born of the sons of Jacob.

[3] He was called the son of the right hand, because son signifies truth, and right hand the power of truth from good, and all power in the spiritual world is in truth from good in the natural man. In this resides all the power possessed by the spiritual man, because the efficient cause is in the spiritual man, and the effect in the Natural, and all the power of the efficient cause is brought into active operation by means of the effect. That all the power of the spiritual man is in the Natural, and [acts] by means of the Natural, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia. (n. 9836). For this reason he was called Benjamin, that is, son of the right hand. And because Bethlehem has a similar signification, that is, truth conjoined to good in the natural man, therefore also David was born there and also anointed king (1 Sam. 16:1-14; 17:12). For David as a king represented the Lord as to truth from good, which is also signified by a king, as may be seen above (n. 29, 31, 205). And the Lord also was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1, 5, 6) because He was born King, and from His birth truth in Him was conjoined to good. For every infant is born natural, and the Natural is first opened because it is nearest to the external senses and the world, and with all men it is ignorant of truth and inclined to evil, but with the Lord alone the Natural hungered for good and desired truth. The ruling affection with man is from the father, for it is his soul, but with the Lord the affection or soul from the Father was the Divine Itself, which is the Divine Good of the Divine Love.

[4] Because Benjamin and his tribe signify truth conjoined to good in the natural man, therefore his lot in the land of Canaan was between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph; and Jerusalem also, which was then inhabited by the Jebusite, fell to that tribe for an inheritance (Joshua 18:11-28); so that the sons of Benjamin dwelt there with the Jews, who afterwards occupied that city. The tribe of Benjamin was granted a lot between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph, because that tribe represented and thence signified the conjunction of good and truth; for Judah signifies the good of the church, and Joseph, the truth of the church. The reason why Jerusalem was given to that tribe was, that Jerusalem signified the church in regard to doctrine and worship, and all the doctrine of the church is the doctrine of truth conjoined to good, and all worship according to doctrine takes place by means of the natural man, for, as stated above, worship is an effect from the efficient cause in the spiritual man.

[5] From these observations the signification of Benjamin in the following passages is evident.

In Jeremiah:

If ye hallow the sabbath "they shall come in from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountain, and from the south, bringing the burnt-offering, and the sacrifice, and the meat-offering, and frankincense" (17:26).

The reason why such things are said to be the result of hallowing the sabbath is that the sabbath signified the union of the Divine and the Divine Human in the Lord, and in the respective sense (sensu respectivo), the conjunction of His Divine Human with heaven and the church; and in general the conjunction of good and truth, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 8495, 8510, 10356, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730). The cities of Judah, the places about Jerusalem, and the land of Benjamin, signify truths conjoined to good in the natural man. The cities of Judah, signify the truths of good, the places about Jerusalem, the truths of doctrine in the natural man, and the land of Benjamin, their conjunction. For cities signify truths, and Judah signifies the good of the church; Jerusalem the doctrine of truth. The places round-about signify such things as are around, or beneath, which are the truths of good in the natural man; and the land of Benjamin signifies the church as to the conjunction of those things in the natural man. From the plain, from the mountain, and from the south, signifies good and truth in the natural man from a celestial and from a spiritual origin. The plain signifies good and truth in the natural man, because those who are in the ultimate heaven, and are called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural (of which above) dwell in plains or below mountains and hills. The mountain signifies those who are in celestial good, and the south, those who are in spiritual good, and therefore in the light of truth. To bring the burnt-offering and the sacrifice, and the meat-offering, and frankincense, signifies worship from celestial good and from spiritual good in the natural man. The burnt-offering signifies worship from celestial good, the sacrifice, worship from spiritual good; the meat-offering and frankincense signify good and the truth of good in the natural man. These are the things signified by the above words. For what other object could there be in saying that if they hallowed the sabbath they should come in from the cities of Judah, from the places about Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the plain, the mountain, and the south? Why not from the whole land of Canaan?

[6] Because these details signify such things as relate to heaven and the church, therefore similar things are also mentioned elsewhere in the same prophet:

"In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places round-about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that numbereth" (Jeremiah 33:13).

So again:

"They shall buy fields for money, and write it in a book, and cause witnesses to witness it in the land of Benjamin, and in the places round-about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south; because I will bring back their captivity, saith Jehovah" (Jeremiah 32:44).

In these passages similar things are signified as above by the land of Benjamin, the places round-about Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, the mountain, the plain, and the south; therefore, Benjamin signifies the conjunction of truth and good in the natural man, and thus the conjunction of truth and good with those who are in the ultimate heaven.

[7] In the same prophet:

"Assemble yourselves, ye sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem, and sound the trumpet, and upon the house of the vineyard kindle a fire, for evil looketh out of the north, and great destruction" (6:1).

The subject here treated of in the spiritual sense is the devastation of the church in regard to truth and good, because it is against Zion and Jerusalem, for Zion signifies the good of the church, and Jerusalem, its truth. And because the sons of Benjamin signify the conjunction of good and truth they are therefore commanded to assemble themselves out of the midst of Jerusalem, to blow the trumpet, and kindle a fire upon the house of the vineyard. To blow the trumpet, signifies combat against that church from truths which are from good. The house of the vineyard signifies that church itself, and to kindle a fire upon it, its destruction by evil loves. The north from which the evil looketh signifies the falsity of evil; and the great destruction signifies the dissipation of good and truth.

[8] Again, in David:

"Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy strength, and come to save us" (Psalm 80:1, 2).

Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, do not mean Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, but those who are in natural truth and good, and in whom there is the conjunction of these. See above (n. 440:6), where this passage is explained.

[9] In the same:

"Bless ye God in the congregations; the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. There is little Benjamin their ruler, the princes of Judah, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali" (Psalm 68:26, 27).

In these passages, neither Benjamin, nor the princes of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali, are meant, but those things pertaining to the church, which are signified by those tribes. Little Benjamin there signifies the innocence of the natural man. The innocence of the natural man consists in the conjunction of good and truth therein. This passage also is explained above (n. 439:5).

[10] In the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses:

"And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Jehovah, he shall dwell in safety by him; he shall cover him all the day long, dwelling between his shoulders" (Deuteronomy 33:12).

Benjamin here signifies the Word in the ultimate sense, which is natural. For the Word is described in this blessing pronounced by Moses, and each tribe signifies some essential of it. And because in the ultimate sense of the Word, which is natural, there is the marriage of good and truth, as we have shown in many places, therefore he is called the beloved of Jehovah, and it is said "that he shall dwell in safety by him; he shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders."

[11] To dwell between the shoulders, denotes to dwell in security and in power. The signification of Benjamin in the prophecy of Israel the father concerning his sons (Genesis 49:27) is explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6439-6444). Benjamin in that prophecy is the last spoken of, because he signifies the ultimate of heaven and of the church, the ultimate being the Natural in which truth is conjoined to good.

[12] Because these things are signified by Benjamin, therefore the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin encamped in the wilderness about the tent of the congregation, on the west side (Num. 2:18-24); and these three tribes signify all those who are in natural truth and good, and in the conjunction thereof. Ephraim signifies truth [in the natural man], Manasseh, good, as shown above, and Benjamin, the conjunction of these. The reason why they encamped on the west side, was, that in heaven, those dwell in the west and in the north, who are in the obscurity of good, and in the obscurity of truth, consequently those who are in natural good and truth; but those dwell in the east and in the south in heaven, who are in the lucidity of good and truth. Concerning this circumstance see the work on Heaven and Hell 141-153).

[13] From what has been stated it is now evident that Benjamin, in the Word, signifies the conjunction of good and truth in the natural man, and conjunction with the Spiritual by means of good; for all that good which is good in the natural man flows in from the spiritual man, that is, by means of the spiritual man from the Lord. Without such influx good does not exist in the natural man. Therefore Benjamin also signifies the conjunction of the spiritual man with the natural, and Joseph, the conjunction of the celestial man with the spiritual.

8495. 'A holy sabbath to Jehovah shall tomorrow be' means the joining together of goodness and truth into eternity. This is clear from the meaning of 'sabbath' as the joining together of goodness and truth, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'tomorrow' as into eternity, dealt with in 3998. Anyone who does not know what the sabbath represented, and what it was consequently a sign of, also cannot know why it was held to be the holiest institution of all. It was held to be the holiest because in the highest sense it represented the union of the Divine and the Divine Human within the Lord, and in the relative sense the joining together of the Lord's Divine Human and the human race. This is why the sabbath was the holiest. And since it represented those realities it also represented heaven in respect of the joining together of goodness and truth, that is, the joining together called the heavenly marriage. And since the joining together of goodness and truth is accomplished by the Lord alone and nothing at all of it by man, and since it is accomplished in a state of peace, people were most strictly forbidden to do any work on that day. The prohibition was so strict that the soul who did do any was to be cut off. This is stated in Moses as follows,

You shall keep the sabbath, for it is holy to you. He who profanes it must certainly die; for everyone who does work on that day, this soul shall be cut off from the midst of his people. Exodus 31:14.

This was why the one who merely gathered sticks on that day was stoned, Numbers 15:32-36. It is also why the command regarding the sabbath is the third of the Ten Commandments, coming immediately after the two regarding holy worship of Jehovah, Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12. And it is why the sabbath is called 'an eternal covenant', Exodus 31:16; for 'a covenant' means a joining together, 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804.

[2] From all this one may now see what is meant in the internal sense by the things said about the sabbath in the following places, as in Isaiah,

Blessed is the person keeping the sabbath so that he does not profane it. Thus said Jehovah to the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths and choose that in which I delight, and hold fast to My covenant, I will give those in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an eternal name which will not be cut off. Whoever keeps the sabbath so that he does not profane it, and those who hold fast to My covenant, I will bring them onto My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Isaiah 56:2-7.

From these words it is evident that those who are joined to the Lord are meant by those who keep the sabbath holy. That they will be in heaven is meant by the promise that those in Jehovah's house will be given a place and a name better than sons and daughters, an eternal name which will not be cut off, and that they will be brought onto the holy mountain.

[3] In the same prophet,

If you turn away your foot from the sabbath, so that you do not do your own will on My holy day, but call the sabbath, Delights holy to Jehovah, honourable, and honour it, so that you do not do your own ways, nor find your own desire or speak [your own] words, then you will take delight in Jehovah, and I will convey you into the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob. Isaiah 58:13-14.

What was represented by the requirement that they should not do any work on the sabbath day is clearly evident here, namely that they must not do anything that begins in themselves, only what begins in the Lord. For the angelic state in heaven is such that they do not will or do, they do not even think or utter, anything that begins in themselves or what is properly their own. This is what their being joined to the Lord consists in. Not doing anything that begins in themselves is meant when it says that they should not do their own will, nor do their own ways, nor find their own desire, nor speak [their own] words. This state existing with the angels is the heavenly state itself; and when they are in it they experience peace and rest. Also the Lord has rest, for when they have been joined to Him their labour ceases; they now abide in the Lord. These things are meant by the words 'so shall you call the sabbath, Delights holy to Jehovah' and that they will take delight in Jehovah. The Lord's rest is meant where it says that after creating on six days 'He rested on the seventh day', Genesis 2:2.

[4] The same things are meant by the following words in Jeremiah,

If you most certainly hear Me, so that you do not bring a burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, and you keep the sabbath day holy, so that you do not do any work in it, then there will enter through the gates of this city kings and princes seated on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men (vir) of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city will be inhabited forever. Jeremiah 17:24-25

'Work on the sabbath' means everything that springs from the self. The state of people who are not led by self but by the Lord is what 'there will enter through the gates of the city kings and princes seated on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses' describes. 'Kings' means the truths of faith, 'princes' leading aspects of them, 'seated on the throne of David' the fact that they come from the Lord, and 'chariots and horses' religious teachings and intellectual concepts belonging to faith. It should be recognized that everything coming from a person's self is bad, and everything coming from the Lord is good. The fact that everything, in the case of those who are led by the Lord, flows in, down to the smallest particle of life in both their understanding and their will, thus down to every single part of the faith and charity they possess, see what has been shown abundantly from experience in 2886-2888, 6053-6058, 6189-6215, 6307-6327, 6466-6495, 6598-6626, 6982, 6985, 6996, 7004, 7055, 7056, 7058, 7147, 7270.

[5] As regards the sabbath and its being a representative of the joining together of the Lord and the human race, this is clear in Ezekiel,

I gave them My sabbaths, in order that they might be a sign between Me and them, to know that I am Jehovah who sanctifies them. Ezekiel 20:12.

See too Exodus 31:13. Therefore also it was forbidden to kindle fire on the sabbath day, Exodus 35:3, because 'fire' meant all that composed life, and 'kindling fire' that which composed life beginning from self. From all that has been stated it is evident that the Lord is Lord of the sabbath, in accordance with His words in Matthew 12:1-9. It is evident too why a large number of healings by the Lord were performed on sabbath days, Matthew 12:10-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-12; 13:10-17; 14:1-6; John 5:9-18; 7:22-23; 9:14, 16; for the sicknesses from which the Lord healed people involved spiritual sicknesses which exist as a result of evil, 7337, 8364.